Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged Audi
2004 Audi A4
Nov 9th
There’s nothing quite like the confidence of driving with all four wheels. Case in point: 2004 Audi A4 versus surprise early-spring Michigan snowstorm. As the snow came down and the salt trucks were sluggish to respond, drivers were fishtailing left and right. The medians were full of overconfident sport-utes. Meanwhile, our serene silver sedan plowed through the worst of it without a complaint, illustrating the results of Audi’s long-term love affair with all-wheel drive.
The A4 is Audi’s lowest-priced entry into the sports sedan market, and it’s a familiar face. Getting to know Audi means talking on their terms: “quattro” is the A4′s all-wheel drive system, and “Avant” is the station wagon version. The A4 can be had in sedan and Avant configurations. The 2004 A4 is much the same as it’s been for the past few years, with a few evolutionary refinements and satellite radio pre-wiring.
The understated good looks are shared with larger Audis like the A6 and A8. Thanks to low-clearance door handles and flush-mounted lighting, the A4 looks like it was milled instead of manufactured. The rounded, aerodynamic design is, at heart, a conservative three-box shape.
Audi does nice interiors. Our test car’s black leather was a bit more somber than we’d have liked, but the comfortable seats and indirect nighttime cabin lighting spoke of German luxury in a way that few things do. There aren’t as many storage cubbies for small items as in other cars, but the bank-vault build quality makes up for that deficiency handily. In fact it was that obviously Teutonic construction that brought our attention to the things the A4 lacked, such as heated seats, a trip computer, and steering-wheel mounted controls. Granted, all of the above are available on the A4, but our lightly-equipped test car didn’t have them. On the other hand, the satellite radio wiring can accept either XM or Sirius subscriptions, making it one of few cars that offers a choice of major service providers.
Confident, communicative handling is the A4′s forte, especially on quattro-equipped vehicles. When the road gets twisty, an aluminum-intensive four-link front and trapezoidal-link rear suspension offers fantastically quick reflexes. The suspension offers a good compromise between soft and taut. Audi also includes a permanently-engaged Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) that reads the car’s intended path and individually brakes the wheels to keep the A4 on course. During the week’s ugly weather, ESP only flickered on and off once, a testament to the inherent sure-footedness of the quattro system. Although it’s a back-road carver, the A4′s suspension is supple enough for relaxed freeway cruising as well.
A choice of turbocharged four-cylinder or six-cylinder power is offered. We drove the 1.8 liter turbocharged four. It’s a versatile powerplant, available in several Audi and Volkswagen products, but it’s aging. 170 horsepower gets the A4 moving in an acceptable fashion, but the powerband is very finicky. At low revs it’s easy to catch the turbo napping, and the A4 is sluggish. When the power comes on, it rushes gleefully to redline but can be difficult to modulate. The five-speed automatic transmission didn’t help, with lazy shifts and a mushy feeling. To make best use of the 1.8T engine, the six-speed manual transmission is a better choice. For drivers who don’t like turbo lag, the torquey, 220-horse 3.0 liter V6 will deliver greater satisfaction.
Overall the A4 remains a good choice among compact sports sedans, but it’s aging rapidly. Pricing starts at $25,550 for a two-wheel drive, 1.8T model, and goes up to just under $29,000 for the quattro.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2004 Audi A4 1.8T quattro, which we tested.
Length: 179.0 in.
Width: 69.5 in.
Height: 56.2 in.
Wheelbase: 104.3 in.
Curb weight: 3550 lb.
Cargo space: 13.4 cu.ft.
Base price: $28,800
Engine: 1.8 liter DOHC turbocharged inline four-cylinder
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 170 @ 5900
Torque: 166 @ 1950-5000
Fuel capacity: 17.4 gal.
2003 Audi A4 Cabriolet
Jul 31st
Unofficially, there are two kinds of convertibles. You have your flashy, look-at-me ragtops, with sexy sheetmetal wrapped around a pair of often color-keyed leather seats and a big engine. Those are your BMW Z4s and Ford Thunderbirds and Jaguar XKs. In the other corner, you have the more conservative convertibles, for folks who want to enjoy a nice sunny day but would rather do it without acting like movie stars.
The Audi A4 cabriolet, new for 2003, falls solidly into the latter category. Its conservative, bar-of-soap design is elegant, but not apt to turn many heads. With a docile yet powerful 3.0 V6, a rigid body and a luxurious, quiet top-up ride, the A4 just might be the perfect executive cabriolet.
The Cabriolet shares the A4′s smooth, rounded face and tail and double-deck grille. With the roof cut off, the A4′s high-waisted lines look more formal. It’s set apart from the sedans with subtle brushed aluminum trim. Top-up, the large, blocky convertible top actually looks good with the slab-sided body. The top is fully automated, and drops flush into the deck. There are no levers to flip; just a single button to push and 24 seconds to wait for the top to raise or lower. A hard tonneau cover drops over the top, so when the A4 is in open-sky mode, there’s no hint of the folded soft-top. Audi’s obsessive attention to detail has resulted in the cleanest-looking convertible possible. Even the stereo antenna has been integrated into the trunklid.
Audi interiors are lovely places to be, and the A4 Cabriolet is no exception. The materials and build quality are first-rate. This is a four-passenger convertible, but rear seat space is best defined as cozy. The soft-top is triple-padded, with a glass rear window, so it’s quiet inside the A4 Cabriolet when the top is up. Twelve-way adjustable front seats are standard; it takes some time, but any passenger can find a comfortable position. We had only one gripe; the seatbelts, mounted low where the B-pillars have been lopped off, are hard to reach. Heated mirrors and heat-insulating glass are standard equipment; seat heaters and self-leveling headlights are options but welcome ones on a dark and chilly night.
Thanks to quirky spring weather, we had the opportunity to drive the A4 Cabriolet in sunny, 70-degree weather one day, and through an ice storm the next. The A4′s four-link front suspension uses lots of aluminum, reducing weight and improving reflexes, and is blissfully happy on curvy roads. A trapezoid-link rear suspension keeps the A4′s center of gravity low. We found the ride to be slightly firmer than that of the hardtop A4. The A4 Cabriolet has a gait that’s less hard-core than the true sports cars, but sporty enough to be entertaining. When the roads turn slick, Audi’s Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) limits oversteer or understeer. The A4 Cabriolet also features standard anti-lock brakes. The quattro all-wheel drive system is not offered.
Under the hood, Audi’s smooth 3.0 liter V6 handles motivational duties. The five valve per cylinder engine makes 220 horsepower, and it’s torquey enough that it never seems to be strained. Coupled with Audi’s smooth Multitronic continuously variable transmission (CVT), the A4 Cabriolet is able to motor around town or down the autobahn with a very relaxed feel. The CVT enables the engine to remain at steady revs, instead of spinning up to the top of a gear before shifting. Audi’s 1.8 liter turbocharged four-cylinder is also offered.
In spite of the impressive build quality, luxurious appointments and excellent performance, the bottom line came as something of a shock, and not in a good way. Although the handsome and elegant A4 line has a reputation for being something of a bargain (prices for V6-equipped A4 sedans start at just over $31,000), the A4 Cabriolet starts at $41,500. With its leather interior, 17″ wheels, heated seats and BOSE sound system, that pushed the pricetag on our friendly little Cabriolet perilously close to $45,000. It’s a very impressive alternative to relentlessly sporty convertibles, but unfortunately executive ragtops don’t come cheap.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Audi A4 Cabriolet, which we tested.
Length: 180.0 in.
Width: 70.0 in.
Height: 54.8 in.
Wheelbase: 104.5 in.
Curb weight: 3814 lb.
Cargo space: 10.2 cu.ft.
Base price: $41,500
Engine: 3.0 liter 30-valve DOHC V6
Drivetrain: continuously variable automatic transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 220 @ 6300
Torque: 221 @ 3200
Fuel capacity: 18.5 gal
Est. mileage: 20/27
2002 Audi allroad
Jul 20th
Audi’s new A6 model lineup was a certifiable home run. A formerly dowdy sedan was transformed with show-car like styling and a level of refinement that made it seem more like a work of art than an automobile. It was hailed as Audi’s first true challenge to arch-rival BMW in many years. An A6 Avant station wagon version soon followed, broadening the A6′s appeal to capture disillusioned minivan buyers and even some loyal Volvo and Mercedes wagon customers. So what was next?
Getting it dirty.
Introduced just last year, the Audi allroad quattro (lowercase intentional) features everything that makes the new A6 Avant a fantastic car, and adds a more aggressive, SUV-style design and a trick suspension that allow Audi’s sophistication to explore new territory, so to speak.
Like the Volvo V70 Cross Country, the allroad quattro looks like a paramilitary version of its pavement-only counterpart. The allroad quattro features the unmistakably smooth, curved Audi design, but those huge wheels and fender flares set it apart instantly. The front bumper is matte gray, rather than body-colored. Visible skid plates at the front and rear and side sills that approximate running boards contribute to the SUV look. It doesn’t look quite as psychotically paramilitary as the Volvo, but the allroad quattro is definitely more assertive than lesser A6 Avants.
The interior has a clean, designer-finished look, just like a Hollywoodized version of a Calfornia condo. Special seats and aluminum trim set the allroad quattro apart, but the features we like most are common to all A6 models. All four windows and the sunroof open or close with a single touch of a button, and both front and rear seats can be heated. Although it’s packed with features, the A6 is also a comfortable place from which to conduct a long drive. It takes a while to find a comfortable seat position, but don’t worry, it’s in there somewhere. The steering wheel looks and feels perfect, although it could use a telescoping adjustment. The biggest annoyance is the self-adjusting volume on the otherwise excellent sound system. The car turns the radio up as it speeds up, and turns it down again as speed drops, resulting in constant fiddling with the volume to alternately save one’s ears or bring the music level back up to audibility. It’s worth noting that Audi isn’t alone in offering this annoying feature; it’s common on both Audis and Mercedes.
The cargo area is ready for skiing trips with a retractable cover, a number of cubbies, and a two-position net. The allroad quattro comes with a portable air compressor, for camping or other adventure purposes. And those roof rails aren’t just for looks either; they can carry up to 220 pounds of cargo.
The allroad quattro is powered by a 2.7 liter V6 engine with two turbochargers. A great-sounding growl from under the hood precedes a strong launch as the twin turbochargers kick in. 250 horsepower is strong motivation indeed. Equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, the allroad quattro splits the difference between sport and luxury nicely. Like many six-speed boxes, the throws are longish and take some getting used to. Once you do, however, selecting a lane or a hole in traffic is as easy as deciding that you want to be there. A five-speed Tiptronic automatic is also available.
The remarkable stability and poise exhibited by all of Audi’s quattro cars is not compromised in the allroad quattro. Audi chose to use a four-position adjustable suspension, rather than simply raising the car like Volvo’s V70 XC. For on-road driving, the electrically controlled pneumatic suspension keeps the car close to the ground, to avoid the unstable feeling common to SUVs and found, to a much lesser extent, in raised station wagons like the Volvo Cross Country. When the going gets rough, the suspension can be raised up over two and a half inches. Ground clearance varies from 5.6 inches at Level 1 to 8.2 inches at Level 4. The highest position puts the allroad quattro as high off the ground as most SUVs. The system also provides automatic load leveling for trailer towing and heavy loads.
Unlike traction control systems, Audi’s all-wheel drive system redistributes power to the wheels with traction without reducing engine power or applying the brakes. The result is confident power delivery whether it’s dry or wet. The allroad quattro is a full-time four wheel drive vehicle. Traction control, antilock brakes, and a slide control system are also available. Side airbags and a side curtain airbag are standard equipment, and a rear seat-mounted airbag is optional.
Looking for more options? A child-sized rear-facing bench seat, high intensity discharge headlamps, integrated cellphone, 200-watt sound system, a navigation system, and a solar sunroof that powers cooling fans in the summer are all on the list. The allroad quattro stickers for about $50,000.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Audi allroad quattro, which we tested.
Length: 189.4 in.
Width: 76.1 in.
Height: 60.1 to 62.7 in. (variable)
Wheelbase: 108.5 in.
Curb weight: 4167 lb.
Cargo space: 36.4 cu.ft. (seat up); 73.2 cu.ft. (seat folded)
Engine: 2.7 liter, DOHC 30-valve twin-turbocharged V6
Drivetrain: six-speed manual transmission, all-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 250 @ 5800
Torque: 258 @ 1850
Fuel capacity: 18.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 16/21